


Cross My Heart

by IAmTheUltimateGleek



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth Takes Sothis A Bit Too Literally, Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Goddess Convinces Local Homeroom Teacher to Terrorize Garreg Mach, Humor, M/M, Pre-Time Skip, The Black Eagles Are Confused.jpeg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-01-31 03:17:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21439345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmTheUltimateGleek/pseuds/IAmTheUltimateGleek
Summary: Despite it all though, the Goddess’s watchful eye and lengthly observations had proven to’ve been for naught. For the moment her counterpart had entered beneath the imposing stone archways of Garreg Mach Monastery, Sothis had experienced what was likely the closest she would ever come to know as a ‘divine’ revelation.Above everything and anything else, Byleth Eisner was first, and foremost, an absolute fool.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, My Unit | Byleth & Sothis
Comments: 45
Kudos: 321





	1. Setting The Stage

Eternity was difficult to understand. During the Goddess Sothis’s reign the passage of life was simply celebrated, never measured. But mortals’ fascination with the concept was peculiarly fascinating enough in its own right. 

Humanity passed through the centuries much like the seasons, constantly changing alongside Fate’s hand. 

All except for one Ms. Byleth Eisner.

From the very beginning Sothis loved the strange young girl as if she were her own. For decades, while falling in and out of her accursed slumber, the Progenitor God existed within each and every one of Byleth’s experiences. The silent rhythm of their souls more finely attuned than either side of Fate could ever hope to be.

When blood soaked the hilt of her sword and palms, those dull blue, hazed over eyes of hers would sharpen into uncut gemstones from the depths of the furthest sea. When passing an expanse that exposed the outward dawning horizon’s line, that same gaze would soften; melting like moonlight stretching across an untouched shore. When angered, the molten fire beneath her skin beat mercilessly to be freed of its restraint. When excited, she was youthful once more, eager to please. 

And when hurt, her spine and nothing more, would tense and seize. Recalling a phantom pain neither she nor Sothis could bear to name.  
Yet despite all of the brilliant emotions Sothis felt laying just beyond the calm of her visage, Byleth never allowed a single one to show outright. Neither due to choice or necessity, but rather habit. _Force.___

_ _The quiet mercenary’s ability to process sensations was diluted severely. Cruelly. As if there were an invisible hand constricting her heart from the inside out. Stifling everything that it could, should, feel in full. Being an extension of that disconnect meant that Sothis understood Byleth’s loneliness most of all. _ _

_ _Upon awakening though, everything changed. The anomaly of their connection still exceeded all fathomable explanation, but the night of their meeting with the knights of Serios, something between Sothis and Byleth felt as though it had shifted out of place. _ _

_ _While they still existed as one within the flow of time, the dissonance between their respective consciousness felt less overwhelming. Sothis could speak, and be heard! Byeth, for the first time in their lifetime together, could see Sothis in her entirety._ _

_ _And to the heavens, it was a blessing and curse unlike any the Goddess could have ever anticipated._ _

_ _Because despite every agonizing moment she spent in the dark watching Byleth stumble throughout her humanity with the grace of a featherless chick; absolutely nothing could have prepared either one of them for their time within the walls of Garreg Mach Monastery.  
During her slumber, Byleth had held Sothis’s pity. Now, living beside her, fully conscious, Sothis came to understand a ‘divine’ revelation of her own. Above everything and anything else, Byleth Eisner was first, and foremost, an absolute fool._ _

_ _A mere jest. All of this insanity had come as a product of a teasing tale Sothis had spun less than a full moon’s passing prior. And to some defense, any reasonable individual could imagine that an eternity old deity, when left to entertain herself for too long, would become bored. She had never intended for things to spiral so far out of hand that, but she also did not think it possible for ANYONE in her creation to possibly be this dense._ _

_ _Her intentions had been harmless. She had just wanted to perform a bit before a willing ear, after having spent more than a week’s time watching Byleth read page after page after page of scribble scrabble that Seteth had insisted upon being ‘mandatory for all newly instated faculty’._ _

_ _She'd pleaded for Byleth to listen for a spell, and of course she had obliged. She always indulged Sothis in her antics, to which the goddess was grateful; practically preening at the undivided attention she spared._ _

_ _Her tales ranged between the grand and fond. How she had once wandered barren forests of lush emeralds, and the desolate peaks of each land. How she had threaded life into children of the soil and skies._ _

_ _It had been so long since she spoken of the past. The storyteller within her had reveled at successfully enrapturing her audience that without even realizing, she began spinning each tale. By late evening, as the candle wax continued to melt around the room’s corners, Sothis had constructed a fantastical epic of exaggerated feats, perilous accounts, and heartwarming declarations of love, loss, beauty, and so much more._ _

_ _It was only as she looked back upon it now though, that she realized she may have been a bit presumptuous in assuming Byleth would be able to gauge how overdramatic she was being on purpose. Unbeknownst at the time, her audience of one had not found any reason at all to assume the tales fictitious, and had instead latched onto each notion as a truth she could challenge to recreate. _ _

_ _Which, ironically enough, was precisely what she ended up doing. _ _

_ _When she had concluded her tale, Sothis’s smile dazzled with pride. Byleth’s eyes had widened just a fraction more so than normal in childlike intrigue, and the rare sight of emotion had made the Goddess feel as overjoyed in elation._ _

_ _But now, floating before the soft colored sky of early dawn, Sothis wondered if perhaps she was, maybe, allowing all this foolishness to go a bit too far._ _

_ _Should she have stopped this all well before it got out of hand? Most likely, yes. Would she have confessed the truth had she known Byleth would later go and tie herself to the ceiling rafters of her own lecture hall? _ _

_ _ _Abso-fucking-lutely Not. _ __

__

__

_ _ _ _Instead, the Goddess realigned herself to recline midair. Outside, she could hear the telltale signs of Garreg Mach’s residents beginning to sir and arise alongside the sun’s ascent. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _As she settled in for the real show to begin, Sothis placed a silent bet against herself that it would take the next eternity and a half for Byleth to realize that she was being messed with. However, until then, well… _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _This all was going to be too good to be true. _ _ _ __

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you are an eons old deity spiritually attached to the most oblivious human being in existence, sometimes you’ve gotta make your own entertainment~ 
> 
> Guess were going all in on this one, cheers to disturbing the peace! Garreg Mach will never be the same UwU
> 
> Let me know what you guys think thus far, everyone will come in at some point or another but for now lets startle some Fledglings ;3c


	2. Unforeseen Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Before the stars knew where they laid within the sky, shadows lurked upon the surface. Their haste was silent, while the vantage they took remained out of sight, far from where any ever sought to check."

Hubert snapped the front plate of his pocket watch close with a scowl, “She is late.” Observant as always. Despite the fact being, painfully, obvious. 

On any other given day, Edelgard might have found it in herself to quip at the rare flare of temperament. After all, it wasn’t terribly often that Hubert would allow himself such physical displays of displeasure. Malicious articulation was by far his preferred outlet of choice. 

Though, given the circumstances, it seemed this particular morning housed few reservations in radically blindsiding her expectations. 

Whilst the chime of cathedral bells continued to resound high overhead, the sharp crack of silver ensured the testament of her vassal's amounting ire was not only heard, but unquestionably communicated. His attention however, remained completely fixated on burning down the lecture hall’s archway. Uncaring for the staring gazes drawn his way, “How very...curious” The faux mirth dripping along each syllable was as unconvincing as it was upsetting to hear.

The melody ceased. 

Edelgard did not voice her suspicions aloud. She, of all people, knew well how hypocritical it would be. Her thoughts were not far from a very similar disarray. 

When the duo had first arrived to class, they did so as Edelgard always preferred, early. The simple routine was one she found pleasure in abiding by. With Hubert’s early morning drawl accompanying dawn’s ascent into the sky, she would organize her desk space in a manner that distracted her sleep deprived mind of its relentless exhaustion. 

Often, the familiarity of it all helped ease away the remnants of whatever nightmare still chased at her heels. Spawning in the wake of those damnable demons and their unwavering resolve. But Edelgard had long mastered trickling her weaknesses into playing nice with the shadow she crossed. 

However, not today.

No, instead for some unfathomable reason, on this day, Edelgard could not shake the overwhelming sensation that something was severely, terribly, wrong. Unease was not a forgettable instinct, not when Those Who Slithered knew all too well how to keep themselves just out of her sight. It was as ingrained into her psyche as the scars marring her once polished skin. Yet no matter where she checked, her surroundings remained barren. 

Unmoving. Unchanging.

Eventually the sun’s outlying presence reached beyond the horizon's line, and more and more of her fellow Eagles began to file into the lecture hall to join them both. It was not inherently unfortunate, she adored her comrades, but for the time being, their presence forced her to allow those brazen concerns to subside.

The sensation of being watched was left to linger where her attention was not.

In the time it took for the sidelined chatter of her housemates to silence against the tolling symphony of church bells above, the large hardwood desk ahead remained desolate. She was not the only one to notice the anomaly by any means, but games of the mind were no different than those of the board. The hand dealt was unfamiliar, and Hubert, at least for her, was an especially easy opponent to read. The lines were not difficult to read between, his performance was otherwise flawless to the outside observer; everything down to the execution of his words had been cautious, attentive.

Nevertheless though, just as he had long since been endowed in claiming to understand her like no other, Edelgard knew the sentiment could be returned equally in his favor. He occupied the same loss as she. Before them laid an all too familiar adversary, the most formidable of impasses. One that only ever emerged under all goddess forsaken circumstances involving one Miss Byleth Eisner. 

Their professor’s ludicrously gentle disposition did not miraculously appear beneath the archway in order to align herself beside the large rolling chalkboard, with that absurdly large tankard she always kept in hand. Nor could she smell the wafting sweet floral scent of some highly caffeinated blend of tea that she had procured from the Goddess knows where. 

Time merely continued onward. Uncaring as ever.

As house leader, Edelgard was no stranger to the beckoning weight of impromptu bouts of required leadership. Her reason for hesitating came from a place of great personal reluctance however. She didn’t want to accept that it may be true. 

She refused.

The path she and the Black Eagles walked upon as both students and future legacies to the Empire’s glory was one of countless hardships. Allowing agency towards inconsistencies such as these meant acknowledging their reality, and the feeling of dread encasing her stomach with a vice like grip remained unwaveringly steadfast. Her friends, her people; Byleth had sworn to stay by her side. To guide them towards a future worthy of what they tirelessly fought to deserve. 

Her teacher, the one to whom she come to respect so dearly and cherished without remorse, was late. Absent. Nowhere to be found. 

Soon enough, the seconds turned to minutes, and the minutes ticked on, worsening the sickening feeling forming deeply within Edelgard's chest. In the stretching thread of expectant apprehension that followed her frozen state, Caspar asked the question on everyone’s mind, “So, anyone know where teach is?”

And Hubert’s tone soured almost instinctively, “Do you honestly believe that if any one of us knew her whereabouts, that we would be sitting here idly with our breaths baited?”

Caspar turned in his seat, a mock white flag in hand waving in surrender, “Easy von Dramatic, I was just asking. Dont’cha think it’s a little early for the third degree?” Hubert, somehow, managed to appear even less impressed in response. 

“It is no concern of mine how you personally choose to view my tone,” He mused aloud, before leveling Caspar’s narrowed eyes with an intentionally dry scoff, “Given how pitifully redundant both of your inquiries have been thus far, I should think my responses have been adequately fitting in terms of restraint.” 

Just as Caspar readied another response, a different voice interjected with a teasing chime, “Let’s not get the floors too bloody before the professor arrives, boys,” Dorothea made no effort to hide the mirth in her amusement. 

Edelgard watched the songstress approach, playfully intent on entering their escalating conversation with practiced ease. With her quill in hand Dorothea moved the feather into tease-able range, waving it directly in front of Hubert’s morbid expression, “Play nice, Hubie, or I might start to think you’ve got a soft spot for the professor, what with all those worried wrinkles into your face!" 

It was like watching an eclipse occur in real time. Hubert’s face fell as abruptly as a doused candle wick. Dorothea came near to laughing herself into a tizzy at the sight, and Edelgard suddenly felt certain she would never meet a braver soul.

With the precision of a viper, Hubert snatched the offending quill from Dorothea’s grasp. And while he may not have smirked outright, Edelgard could practically feel the satisfied preening that soaked through his demeanor. He effortlessly held the black feather just outside of Dorothea’s reach. Teasing her back in a manner that better complimented his thinning temperament, “Once more, it seems you have confused your self-made fantasies with relativity” The intensity of his smugness dampened slightly though at the sight of Dorothea’s pouting lip. 

Edelgard had to resist the urge to laugh herself. The battle was over before it had even begun.

In his own overly exasperated way, Hubert scowled and lowered his guard by a minuscule fraction, “Why is it you feel the need to test the limitations of my patience at every presented opportunity?” Dorothea placed her hand to her heart as if she were being recited the prose of a touching poem. 

But her next smile was sharpened, all teeth, “Prosperity’s sake at this point” Then, like a sparking flare, she leapt to make a grab for the feather. And Hubert evaded once more.

The critical damage of Dorothea’s next pout was abruptly interrupted by a flicker of intrigue that consumed her brilliant irises. Emerald solidified with mischief; glinting fiendishly, “Wait a second, I didn’t hear you deny it! Aww Hubie, you really are a big softie, aren't you~” She coo’d. 

Hubert’s resolve remained suspiciously unresponsive. Impassively content for the time being in allowing her banter. A big 'softie' indeed, it seemed.

Petra though, who had been silently observing the commotion from afar, interjected in serious distress, her expression tense, “Forgive my interrupting, but if a part of Hubert’s body is becoming softened, should we not be fetching Professor Manuela?” Dorothea’s smile melted with a fondness that Edelgard could not help but brighten to see. Her dear friend walked hastily to go and address Petra’s concern patiently, giving the Brigid princess her complete undivided attention. 

Hubert took the opportunity to lean closer to Edelgard's side, his tone hushed, “Perhaps our expectations regarding the professor’s reliability had been prematurely optimistic after all” The subtle bite of disappointment that slipped past the edge of his words glittered with the transparently. The trouble Edelgard found with masks was that when they slipped, even slightly, it could be near impossible not to notice. 

Honesty had a very unique way of fracturing a visage’s foundation; it was disruptive, vivid and certain. In contrast to his natural melancholy, Hubert’s body language from her peripheral was searching her for an answer. And in her silence, he must have realized that she already understood the true question that he dared not ask. 

Inquiring whether or not she was okay with the predicament before them.

But she did not respond.

The tail end of Dorothea’s explanation to Petra was half sung with a careless wave, pulling Edelgard from her silent contemplation. As she returned to their side of the room she casually rounded back behind Hubert and successfully pulled the feather from his grasp. And then, like any reasonable victor would, she stuck her tongue out in mocking triumph. 

Hubert rolled his eyes, but said nothing more. Dorothea accepted his concession proudly before calling over her shoulder, “See? Hubie’s fine, Petra~ He’s just too stubborn to admit he cares about us all” Edelgard turned and watched as Petra’s confusion visibly double, her brow furrowing in concentration even from this distance.

“I am afraid I am still not having understanding. Would expressing this reluctance causes a greater softening? From the observing I have been doing, Hubert very much enjoys our company already, he merely goes about expressing it with his eyes,” Petra then tilted her head thoughtfully, “In Brigid, large snakes that are kept for companionship behave in very similar manners. They sometimes even cuddle close to their owners in order to-”

Dorothea cleared her throat, before using her free hand to start shoo away the imaginary storm clouds beginning to chill the space she was occupying beside Hubert, “While I’m sure Hubie appreciates your absolutely lovely comparison, Petra, I’m frightened you may kill him at this rate.” 

Despite the gentle repose of her tone, Petra stiffened at Dorothea's warning. Her eyes immediately darted to Hubert in distress, “If-...if I am misusing my words, I am asking you will be accepting my apologies, Hubert. I would like to be having clarity that I do not see you as a large snake” Her expression morphed gravely, “You are a companion to whom I value greatly, and I am having hope that I did not bring more harm onto your softness.”

A rather riveting display of conflicting emotions crossed Hubert’s dark irises. Everyone in attendance, no longer bothering to hide their inquisitive fascination, watched as Hubert took a deep breath. The tension in him escaped at once with an uncharacteristically non-manic chuckle. 

He appeared sincerely amused, offering the Brigid princess a ‘likely-meant-to-be-reassuring-and-not-nearly-as-terrifying’ strained half of a smile, “The correct sentiment has been received, Petra. You have nothing to apologize for,” His typical desolate features returned at once, but his words felt slightly warmed, “In truth, I feel as though thanks are in order for the…endearing consideration you have associated onto my person” 

A low whistle sounded from behind them all, snuffing out the remainder of the momentary bliss, “Woah, Hubert not committing verbal manslaughter? In this economy? Here I thought a vampire’s only weakness was sunlight or something" Caspar’s comment cut through the charming display like a hot brand to chilled water. It seemed he had finally tired of the prospect of patience. 

Linhardt, who had been lying across the top of his desk with his head buried into his arms, used his index finger to lift the text cover that had been shielding his eyes from the room's lighting just high enough for his mouth to be uncovered, “With how often you wonder why it is Hubert loses his temper, you seem dutifully insistent on ignoring all of the evidence that manifests directly from your own mouth" 

Dorothea gave a dramatized gasp as if scandalized, “Lin! He won’t learn if you spoil the lesson so easily!” But the scholar merely waved his hand absentmindedly back in the general direction of her voice. Already retreating from the emerging debate, “The merits of mercy being measured by charity or pity are irrelevant. Helping a lost cause is less a favor at this point, and more a necessity if I am to get any peace"

Caspar gave an indignant ‘hey!’ before using his hand to push the tome cover back down onto Linhardt's face. Effectively cutting off any further commentary. 

The scholar made a brief show of shrugging his shoulders before mumbling, “Just try to be quiet if you’re going to continue bickering. Oh, and wake me if the professor ever arrives. I’m rather curious as to what could possibly be delaying her” Then with that, Linhardt allowed the parchment to seamlessly return him to semi-darkness once more.

In an attempt to disrupt his retreat however, Ferdinand reached over the edge of his own desk to suddenly rap his knuckles against the outer leather binding of the text, “Dear friend, how is it that fatigue still plagues you so? Did you not just awake from a full night of rest?” 

Linhardt raised the passage above him, bored, “Is there a question, or are you making a general statement?” Ferdinand balked in response, “Wh- that was the question!”

“And yet mine was rhetorical. Goodnight.” 

Hubert and Edelgard rolled their eyes in sync as the duke apparent tried, and failed, to expand upon the argument further; undoubtedly content to expend his breath on what was soon become the equivalent of a stone wall. 

The sidelined chatter of her housemates in no way deterred the odd sensation that still plagued the back of Edelgard’s unsettled nerves. The longer she sat amidst the otherwise ‘normal’ atmosphere, the more so her gaze found itself drawn to the passage way.

The thread of thought was intercepted almost immediately by the last person she wished to notice though, “I’m sure the professor is perfectly okay, Edie. No need to fret so much” Dorothea’s grin was as dazzling as always. Even in the face of Edelgard’s returning scowl.

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you are referring to.” 

The brunette moved herself so she could better face Edelgard head on, placing her both of her hands onto the desk before her. The scheming grin on her face was already sanctioned along with an unstoppable momentum, with no end in sight, “That sad little frown you’ve been wearing all morning says otherwise~” She singsonged. 

Edelgard doubted denying the comment would do much more other than provoke Dorothea further. Her cheeks had the most horrendous habit of betraying her flush whenever she responded too hastily. So she remained unresponsive. 

Dorothea though was not easily deceived by her tactics, “Oh come on Edie, humor me! I bet the professor would find it really sweet that you're so worried about her~ Personally, I think it’s incredibly _ cute _ ” Pale lavender irises hardened defensively and Dorothea bit her lip in a poor effort to stop a knowing grin from splitting across her face. Victorious once more.__

_ __ _

If the intensity of Edelgard’s wrath alone could manifest actual flames, she reasoned that the lecture hall, courtyard, and perhaps next few miles over would come close to rivaling the Valley of Torment itself. _“Dorothea…” _ Her voice burned in warning, threatening to spill over like molten rock. Her friend knew how she despised that foolish turn of phrase, however that damned smirk only deepened all the further at the sight of her heated features. Her amusement was likely rising beyond measure. __

_ __ _

And then, with the absolutely audacity of a treason that would come to transcend several lifetimes, Hubert found the gall to faintly snort.

Traitors. Both of them. 

Whenever provoked, one or both inevitably resurfaced with their absurd claims that Edelgard held some unreconcilable infatuation towards the professor, which she did not. Their meddling “advice” was nothing more than an insufferable annoyance based on nothing more than a few, appreciative, glances and...terrible sketches. Regardless, it only ever sought to solidify Edelgard’s affirmations that the human imagination could become absolutely untamable once permitted too much time to wander. 

This teasing bit of their's was precisely why she no longer confided her, objective, observations of the professor’s physique and, undeniably impressive, mind in either of their presences. 

As heat climbed to the very tips of her ears though, Edelgard’s will approached its limit, but she restrained herself before she could slam her head face first into the desk before her. Lest she give their scheming side glances to one another any such satisfaction in believing they were right, which she emphasized to herself, and her ridiculously hammering pulse, they were not.

Edelgard had been so engrossed in fighting off the blush she could feel spreading across her neck like a wildfire though, that she ultimately could not rebuttal against her allies' immature musings in time to prevent herself from additionally being caught off guard for the voice that intervened directly beside her, “This arguing is still being playful, correct?” 

Dorothea tempered her scream into something resembling more of a mild screech. Edelgard and Hubert both whipped around to find that, at some point without any of them noticing, Petra had crossed from the other end of the room and sat herself beside them, soundlessly.

The Brigid princess looked perplexed by their staring, “Your eyes have become quite large.” 

Dorothea, to her credit, answered with only the slightest of hitches in her voice, “Wh- how- did you warp?!” Edelgard might have found the change in pitch comical had Petra not frowned so earnestly in turn. “I am not having understanding as to how I would be doing such a thing. Studies of magic are not areas I am currently having familiarity with. I merely moved with lightness, as I did not wish to disturb you three, but still desired to join this idling chat of bonding.”

As she spoke, Edelgard chanced a glance back towards the others occupants scattered across the room. Ferdinand was heaving a limp Lindhardt’s body onto the Caspar’s shoulders, while Bernadetta, who had unsurprisingly remained disentangled from the social catastrophes occurring around her, offered nothing more than a timid wave at her gaze. 

That is, from beyond the wall of books she had stacked atop her desk some time over the last few minutes. Admittedly Edelgard found that the infrastructure seemed commendably sound and fulfilled its duty in mostly obscuring the small archer from sight. Quite impressively even.

When she returned her attention to the individuals closest to her, she found Dorothea had accepted Petra’s explanation without reservation. Her emerald eyes practically sparkling as listened intently to Petra’s comparison to how she moved similarly when hunting. It was so natural for Dorothea, that Edelgard had not even realized how intently she had been observing the two’s private moment until Hubert gently tapped her shoulder, returning her to the present. 

The brief pang of longing that had distracted her had chipped at the center of her heart, but she shook her head free of its haze. Envy was an unbecoming sensation, but she was only human after all. 

Mercifully, depending on one’s personal definition of the term, a familiar tussle of bright red hair emerged just outside of Edelgard’s peripheral. Surely set in offering a change of subject that would undoubtedly antagonize her patience, but at the same time, offer a much needed reprise from her spiraling thoughts.

Ferdinand arched his hands in a grand sweeping gesture, his prideful vigor allowing him into the conversation with a bout of theatrical flair, “Alas, Edelgard, for one destined to rule, it does not suit well to be so ill prepared. Should we not be addressing the crisis that has fallen upon us? Without the professor’s guidance, the mantle of leadership must be acted upon!” His smile tilted further in challenge, “Perhaps in an effort to prolong this wait of ours, you would fancy a duel for the right to take command of this situation?”

The insurmountable assurance Edelgard had that she would some day physically throw the Duke of Aeigr into the planet’s atmosphere was powerful. Enough so that she sometimes feared the legacy of her one-day reign would pale in comparison to the otherwise impossible, yet tempting, feat. Patience and its virtuous benefits aside, Ferdinand ranged between a master class in regards to effortlessly ensuring Edelgard’s eyes rolled into the furthest recess of her head at least once per week. Which was somewhat impressive at the least. 

But Hubert took to the bait without hesitation, spearheading that special reserve of rage Ferdinand’s childish antics always flickered to life within him. The words hissed in return were laced with absolute venom, “The extent of your impudence truly knows no bounds. For you to believe Her Majesty would relinquish her endowed position simply to satisfy your mindless struggle to discredit her efforts is utterly disgraceful”

Ferdinand held up one finger, “Your petty words are for naught, Hubert. You have mistaken my consideration, as usual, for distain and baseless mockery” He sounded as though correcting a foolish child. 

The unknown could not easily frighten those bred from its cruelties, however, even Edelgard felt inclined to confess that Hubert could become quite terrifying when poked at the wrong angle. 

The smile encompassing his teeth was intent on slaughter, "I mock your arrogant delusions due to the pointless necessity you find in voicing them” He snarled, but Ferdinand remained unwavering in his conviction. 

With a haughty puff of his chest, the duke apparent displayed only a satisfied smile in his musing, “So fast to anger, yet hate me as you will, I have only elected to intervene as a means of preventing everyone present from breaching one of the Monastery’s most sacred codes of conduct” He lamented the tale as though he were laying his neck to the end of a blade on their behalf.

The uncomfortably charged air was severed as Caspar, with Linhardt’s unconscious body draped over himself, gave a long groan, “I swear, you use like four dictionaries for every half of a sentence. Just say what the fucking rule is before Lin and I go out and look for the professor ourselves.” 

Dorothea leaned inward as well. Anticipation sparking at the prospect of some secretive information being spun so dramatically. She cocked out her hip, “Oh yes do tell, Ferdie~ Enlighten us simple few, what exactly is this oh so important ‘code’?” 

Her tone could not have possibly been more intentionally condescending, but Ferdinand took to the spotlight like a fish to water, “Well, dear Dorothea, as I’m sure our fearless house leader is already fully aware, Garreg Mach’s governing set of regulations state that the entire student body, regardless of title, must adhere to strict procedural guidelines in the event of an absent instructors. Charges are required to remain within their designated homeroom for an absolute minimum of fifteen minutes,” 

Ferdinand swept his hair with a conclusive grin, “Once that timeframe has passed, if the professor is still not present, we may excuse ourselves. Legally speaking” 

Edelgard hadn’t been prepared for such a stifling silence to follow Ferdinand’s flamboyant decree, yet the room had undeniably stilled. As if frozen in time. Hubert though, looked as though he aged all of 5 full years in the time it took for everyone to so much as blink. Her vassal sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, sounding exhausted, “You. Are. Absolutely. Fucking. Hopeless." 

The profanity was all it took for Caspar and Dorothea to break. Each burst into a fit of hysteria that unbridled all possible standards of pardon. Their chortling laughter filled the space and dispelled the lingering tension as though it had never belonged, and every time either one of them peered back at Ferdinand’s paling complexion, they fell over themselves all the harder. Clutching at their sides. 

Even Bernadetta, meek and quiet Bernadetta, could be heard giggling softly from beneath her nearby fort of tomes. 

Caspar held onto his ribcage as though it were the last lifeline he would ever know. The hand he had been using to keep Linhardt steady, began to waver precariously. And then, with a strangled wheeze, he gasped out, “I- I cannot believe you just said that with a straight face” Before choking at the sight of Dorothea’s tear filled eyes.

The songstress was in literal tears, leaning onto Petra's solid shoulder for support “G-Goddess, it's the only straight part about him!" They both fell over themselves once more, "T-Three out of ten, Fergie, three out of ten! The melodramatics of you soliloquy were _ h-horrid!_”__

_ __ _

Unable to stifle his bristling pride any longer, Ferdinand threw his hands up, affronted, “I fail to see what is so comical about relaying factual evidence! Whatever mockery you two are conspiring within will not sway the duty we must uphold in order to honor our house’s virtue!” 

Ferdinand whirled back towards Hubert, desperate to redirect the attention off blush starting to rivaling the color of his hair, “Worry not, Vestra! Surely my noble tenacity has prevented a catastrophe unlike any other. Why, had the cogs in that devious head of yours involved themselves any further in considering such sleuthing intent you may very well have suffered a fate worse than the sentence of a heretic!”

The looming overcast surfacing across Hubert’s eyes, somehow, broadens, “Aegir, I will allow you one chance to provide even a singular redeemable line of sense. What exactly is this supposed 'repercussion' you are so adamant about digressing?” The question whistled through his clenched teeth coldly. 

“The sentence is an additional hour of…cleaning...duty...” Ferdinand allowed his words to trail off at Dorothea and Hubert's visible expressions. 

This time, Caspar did drop Linhardt.

Gracefully, or at least as gracefully as one can whilst falling onto their knees. 

Petra seemed at a loss for who to assist first; Linhardt, who was lying face first on the ground, Caspar who was having trouble catching his breath, or Dorothea who's shoulders were absolutely trembling with freed laughter. 

Edelgard rose to her feet with a quiet sigh. All of this madness boiled down to the same unchanging fact. It was clear her teacher’s unexpected delay was severely effecting everyone’s focus, and she would not stand for the unraveling nonsense to continue for a moment more. Regardless of how humorous she may or may not find it to be. “These regulations aside, I believe I will take my chances, Ferdinand. We are clearly not benefitting from simply squabbling over these menial frivolities”

A voice called down directly from above, “I agree.” 

Bernadetta joined Caspar and Linhardt on the ground as she collapsed from her chair with a petrified shriek. 

Even given how softly Byleth had spoken, not a single neck had been spared. Several audible snaps of cartilage sounded in symphony to one another, as every head in the room whipped upwards to seek out the professor’s voice. The sight that greeted them was far too jarring for Edelgard to process immediately, nor at all during the several uncountable stretches of silence that followed after.

Her teacher, for a lack of better a explanation, was dangling overhead. Roughly thirty feet above them all, from a singular support beam. With her arms and legs firmly bound together. She appeared completely unbothered by her students' owlish eyes and slackened jaws, and instead merely offered a nod of acknowledgement towards them when they did not offer any further commentary on her condition. 

Once upon a time, Edelgard commended her teacher’s natural ability to remain levelheaded under the most dire of circumstances. She had found the calm of her demeanor reassuring; a mark of unprecedented infallible support that she could lean upon, maybe even depend upon one day. Now however, whilst taking note of just how acutely angled the rafters above Byleth were in a manner that could not, by any conceivable mean, be safe for a grown woman to hang from, Byleth’s unperturbed tone was beginning to grey the ends of her already starched locks. 

She would gladly deny it to Hell and back later that she had been, in any way, egregiously distressed enough by the predicament to snap her quill in half. It'd be easy enough to cast blame upon the under caffeinated state of her mind, or sleepless weary body, as being the catalyst to this preposterous oversight of the situation. But while facing the present, Edelgard found that all of this absurdity before her equated into only two certainties: 

One, her teacher was swaying, unstably, from a centuries old piece of infrastructure as though she were a decorative light fixture; and Two, point One utterly invalidated any further considerations for why Edelgard should give a damn about _anything_ else.__

_ __ _

_ __ _

“Professor, I-…I feel as though we are missing a key point of information right now” Byleth appeared mildly surprised by Edelgard voice. She herself had not noticed the dryness in her throat until after she had spoken. How blinded with concern she had become. 

Her teacher swung slightly, tilting her head in confusion, “About what?” 

While everyone else busied themselves with either assisting Bernadetta and Linhardt off of the floor, Edelgard felt the staccato of her heart beat triple.

“Abou- wha-?! My teacher, I am asking why in the Goddess’s name are you suspended from the ceiling?!” Stress was as ingrained into her being as the blood that flowed through her veins, and yet Edelgard felt certain she was suffering an aneurysm.

In trying to piece together what exactly was transpiring behind those dark oceanic eyes of her's, the professor’s response met her unceremoniously. 

“Stealth is better taught through experience. I’ve been up here since the beginning of class. No one noticed. These restraints had been intended to be an auditory advantage for you all,” Byleth began struggling around a bit to demonstrate how the rope could faintly be heard scraping against the framework behind her. 

Edelgard felt her eyebrows rise to her hairline in alarm as the structure creaked threateningly. But Byleth simply carried on, “Consider this a field evaluation. Bernadetta, I noticed you tensing when I was adjusting my binds. Have faith in your instincts. Opportunistic circumstances in close quarter environments leave plenty of room for assassins to go unnoticed. If something ever feels off, there is most likely is something you are not seeing.”

With a tempered yawn, her teacher continued thoughtfully, “We'll address what I observed tomorrow. Everyone’s team cohesion needs some serious work. But we can still improve from this” Byleth concluded without a care in the world, utterly blank.

Edelgard in turn bit down on the inside of her lip, hard. The scathing reprimand resting on the tip of her tongue over how dangerous this ludicrous evaluation was nearly left her breathless. She felt livid, consumed by uncountable untamed thoughts, until one singular realization caused the very marrow of her bones to crystalize into frigid grating sand.

Byleth had been listening. Watching, silently, from the very start. She'd heard everything, every word spoken, every tease thrown, every single blustering foolish reaction and inaction. It made Edelgard's features ignite furiously, the path of her thoughts betraying themselves in a chaotic cross tag of understanding. If she had arrived prior to them all, that also meant Byleth must have been dangling from the rafters, unmoving, unprotected, for literal hours.

The resolve within her heart steeled beneath the force of her horror burning into an unadulterated raging forge of lost patience. Edelgard marched with a fine trail of newfound wrath that consumed her clicking strides with intent, purpose. She positioned herself beneath the professor in such a way that the other woman was forced to meet her narrowed gaze at a maximum of intensity. And when she spoke the force came forward with the tone of a commander, a leader, an Emperor. 

“Professor, this blatant disregard for your wellbeing is _unacceptable_. Remove yourself from that egregiously unsafe position this instant! _That is an order_.“ ____

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

The bite of her words struck against every chord in her being, ringing straight through the hardened pastel of her now blazing amethyst irises. There was something insatiable burning throughout her, turning Edelgard’s stomach in on itself and skimming across the back of her neck threateningly, as if trying to resist consuming her whole. Her teeth were bared, and nobody dared to move. 

As she chased every rampant chastisement through the inferno of smoldering ash though, something unthinkable occurred. 

Byleth’s gaze dropped from her own. It was subtle, but she was certain she had caught it. Over the cycles of the moon's passings, she had never once noticed such an expression before, never. It was jarring, stunning, causing all of those smoldering embers to fade away into nothingness. And for the life of her, Edelgard could not help but stare. 

Byleth was startled, ”Oh...” The bindings that had been suspending her jostled slightly as she struggled about. Groaning beneath each unsteady twist and turn. After another moment of silence, she frowned, “...it would seem I have miscalculated…” Both women remained perfectly statuesque. 

The Ashen Demon of Fodlan, adorning the rosiest hue of pink Edelgard could have ever imagined, was positively, undeniably, embarrassed. 

Stuck.

“Could someone go retrieve a latter and perhaps a knife of some sort…please?”

Unheard to all, except for Byleth herself, within the endless expanse of a darkened realm far beyond humanity’s bounds, the Goddess Sothis sat repeatedly striking the arms of her throne with her fist.

Overcome with laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She's a little confused, but she's got the spirit~ 
> 
> Personally, I adore the fandom's general consensus that Byleth just has the equivalent of a Windows loading screen going on inside her head~ Sometimes you wanna improve as an instructor and that means thinking outside of the box!
> 
> More meddling to come~ Seteth isn't ready OwO
> 
> Lemme know what you all think thus far!


	3. Wouldn’t It Be Nice?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The steps of life beat out of time. A waltz with death is no different than leading one into a dip, a spin, or towards the dawning rebirth. Laughter though, surely, is the most wondrous sound a mortal may find their rhythm within.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Part 1~

Life was full of complexities, both grand and small. Concepts, patterns, rules; questions that could be derived from the simplest of circumstances. 

For most of her life, Byleth had sought no answers. She’d never carried much for desires or knowing more. Understanding the world around her was difficult enough as it was. At least when existing as she did. Her memories had always been hazy, too fast or too slow, intangible to the point where she saw no necessity in idle curiosities. 

The sky would still darken with the passing of the sun, her dreams would always remain vivid and loud. Her father would smile, or find comfort in his ale, and the tackle on her line would still shine against each new stream. Things were as they were because it was how they were meant to be, just like her. Nothing more, nothing less.

In truth, while traveling Byleth’d felt little to no need in inquiring much. Orders were orders, and the fellow mercenaries of their company had been patient enough with her long stretches of compatible silence. However, there were still some questions that lingered within the far recesses of her conscious. Whispers she’d caught off hand late at night, far from the fire’s light. Unmemorable voices that spoke of how Jeralt enabled her strange nature, of how soulless she seemed; of how heavily he drank because she was not ‘right’.

And sometimes she still wondered what it was exactly that she had done ‘wrong’

She’d never felt particularly disillusioned morally in regards to actions of order or chaos, merely disconnected, so to say. Further away from the sensations that others could express so freely.

Apples still tasted as sweet to her as she imagined they might for everyone else. She enjoyed passing quiet creek beds and staring at the stars. When children smiled she felt warmth, and when they wept she ached by their side. People came, people left, she did not have a mother, but a father who loved her greatly. Understanding the reasons as to why any of it was true or false had never seemed important. 

What good could knowing do when she felt as though she were sleeping while awake, moving without a thought. She knew what it was like to feel, but sometimes, just like everyone else, she believed she may have wished for more.

As the seasons passed, she grew stronger, faster, but the thoughts that should have matured alongside her still faded like ripples of disengaged interest. There was little to no time for wandering curiosity when exhaustion accompanied every step she took. Despite the energy ceaselessly burning beneath her skin, risking a second thought on the road was as good an opportunity as any for an enemy to strike. 

All it would take is one distracted gaze.

And she’d sworn to protect her father, just as he always had her. They were kindred in that strange way of theirs, existing on instinct alone. Preparing for futures that had not yet come to pass. In Byleth’s eyes she’d never been cheated by the loss of wondering until Sothis’s awakening. 

With the Goddess at her side, the sensations of life began to blossom within, sprouting from stems long thought to have withered. It had ignited something near to ‘longing’ in her heart. For what exactly, she still wasn’t entirely sure.

But the kindling of intrigue had remained at the forefront of Byleth’s mind. Adapting and flourishing throughout her in a manner that felt near exciting to entertain. It chased at her dormant emotions like a wildfire, mimicking the same deafening sounds that made her feel a little more alive.

A little less ‘wrong’. It was frightening, exhilarating, and unknown. Especially after meeting Edelgard. 

It had been one of the first choices she had ever made due to desire. The moment she had leapt forward to shield the other women from a bandit’s strike. The disorienting memory of it all still made her feel flushed to consider, how something so drastic had flooded her mind with adrenaline. How the thought of losing those pale lavender eyes crested waves Of dread beneath every exposed nerve of her being.

It was blinding, caring and not knowing why.

Within the stoney halls of Garreg Mach, the sensation had only grown more and more overwhelming. The feeling chased every drop of numbness from her skin with flames that licked at the soul of her unflinching heart.

There was a gravity in her position that she’d never known. Consequences that exceeded her next meal or wage to be earned. Their futures were being cultivated by her lessons, by her hands. More than that, she knew that Edelgard, all of them, were relying on her for something more than guidance. They wanted more.

Byleth knew there were no certainties in life, but Jeralt had once said there would always be opportunities. So long as you did not waste your chance. Having provisions, sleeping quarters, and a monthly allowance of dispensable gold was, according to both Seteth and Alois, not just something freely allocated towards any stray duo of mercenaries. 

The Blade Breaker and Ashen Demon’s reputation preceded them like folk lore, and the individuals within the Monastery, student and faculty alike, were fascinated by their history; despite how little Byleth felt there was to really tell of it. The past was difficult to reminisce upon given how the specifics swirled uncertainly along the edges of her, and Sothis’s, unfocused vision. 

She knew many were perplexed by the questions she asked, but only due to assumptions they held over Jeralt’s disposition. In comparison to her own, her father carried himself with bold words and hearty laughter, where she was quiet. Soft spoken. Ruthless. A contrast that would be near laughable if it was not so blatant.

Jeralt and her’s dynamic was not difficult to find synchronization within though. The weight of steel in her palm spoke volumes between them. A single look could straighten her back, lower his stance, or shift her grip without so much as a word. In the moments it took for her to step back or disarm him, a language was spoken all on its own.

But the people here did not speak as she did. They wanted her to learn their tongue, and for the first time in her life, Byleth felt inclined to learn.

It was dizzying, trying to process all the information that surrounded her. There was so much hesitancy and trust that differentiated between each voice. Her students held passions and fears and the type of sincerity that she‘d never known could exist. Their unbridled smiles, hard lined reservations, and timeworn scowls. They were all so eager, weathered and filled with pride. For their nations, for their families, for one another. 

Innocence was easy to fathom, but hard to protect. Byleth knew that, but did not like how it stained the brilliance of all of her students’ smiles. It made her chest ache strangely, painfully.

They all fought for ideals larger than survival. They wanted to live freely, to witness a change in their world. And when given enough of a reason to, they sometimes forgot the weight on their shoulders and found it in themselves to laugh as though they had never known loss or grief or the agony of thought.

And Byleth found their joy was becoming her favorite sound to hear. She wanted to see them do it more often. But the answer of how to get them to smile varied and changed much like the seasons tended to do.

Bernadetta for example, had once giggled herself silly when Byleth had been surrounded and tackled to the ground by a particularly feisty group of the monastery’s free roaming felines. But when Byleth had instructed the cats to follow Bernie around the next day, the poor girl had thought the professor had sent a militia of furry warriors to maul her to death, and had refused to leave her room for hours. She’d even denied accepting a bribe of Lysythia’s renowned shortcake.

Or the time Hubert had off handedly chuckled at Byleth scaring off a young man that seemed to be haggling Dorothea for another courting date. She had thought repeating the action was the key to amusing the young mage, but when she had tried to use a similar technique on Ferdinand during one of his and Dorothea’s daily midday arguments, well, Hubert had come near close to damning Byleth into the next three following afterlifes. Why he had behaved so protectively was still beyond her still. She’d thought Hubert could not stand Ferdinand’s tandems, but Dorothea had told her it would be fine. In fact, she too had laughed quite considerably at Hubert and Ferdinand’s expressions after Byleth had explained herself. But once again, the professor was left puzzled by the shift in their demeanor.

Thankfully, both men had accepted her apology, and calmed considerably after Byleth gave her word that she would not actually expel Ferdinand for being quote, ‘too noble’. His large sad eyes were a weapon all their own. But she much preferred his bolster. 

Edelgard however, was by far the hardest enigma to crack. She adored all of her students dearly, but the emperor-to-be was almost always serious to an unmoving fault. Focusing so far ahead of the present that she never ceased to move. It made all the moments where Byleth could startle the mask from her face with unexpected bursts of surprised laughter, feel all the more precious. She liked seeing Edelgard relax. Her smile in particular almost always made her wish to do the same. 

Feelings were complicated for Byleth though. She was certain that she wanted to be better as an instructor at the least, but for reasons that did not objectively seem as self serving as they felt to her.

Her students were passionate about so many things. Little things, beautiful things. Sad things. Their aspirations and dreams moved them all forward, and Byleth enjoyed the thought of aiding them as they went on to conquer the world. If only to ease the burden of time.

The past had already taken enough from them all. The future could stand to let them live as they deserved.

In that same vein Byleth also wanted them to be practical. To expect the unexpected. Being unprepared was a death sentence in battle, and the first step in setting an example as a guide was to arrange a precedent that they could follow.

As a Professor of the Officer’s Academy, Byleth had been reminded, countless times now, that she was expected to be a formidable role model. And thankfully, Sothis had been all too willing as of recent to share her wisdom with Byleth.

It was unfortunate however that Sothis likely could not hear her internal gratitude given how loudly she was choking on air beside her. 

Seteth also, but he was, for a lack of a better term, experiencing something more reminiscent of a stroke, or facial twitch of some sort. His expression seemed caught between settling on mortification, confusion, and doubt, but Byleth hadn’t thought her request had been too unorthodox. 

But to be fair, it was not entirely impossible that she may have misspoken.

While Sothis tried to regain her bearings beside her, Byleth tilted her head at Seteth, who was still mutely opening and closing his mouth. Several seconds had passed since she had handed the request forum to him, but he had not ceased mimicking a land sentenced fish for some time. 

Eventually, he finally moved to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. And then with steadier hands, he placed the document down onto his desk. 

Seteth interlocked his hands slowly before resting his forehead against the staple of his fingers with a deep exhale, “Professor...surely you cannot be serious.” He asked her unbelievingly. 

Byleth blinked in response. Why wouldn’t she be serous? After all, order forums were very extensive in detail. It would have been wasteful to’ve completed one without a most literal intent.

Wordlessly, she shook her head at Seteth, who only furrowed his brow more severely. “Why, pray tell, in the Goddess’s good name would you think the Monastery could expend such resources on something...like this?” 

The severity of his tone worsened as he repeatedly glanced back and forth between her face, and the the calculated estimate residing along the parchment beneath him.

”This is absolutely out of the question, professor. Im sorry to say, but allocating this much funding towards a singular lesson plan would be near impossible.”

Realization dawned minutely across Byleth’s features as she offered a quiet ‘oh’ of understanding. “I figured as much. My mistake. Here.” Whilst reaching behind her cloak, Byleth unclasped a large satchel from her side. 

How on earth she had managed to hide such a bag came as a second though, as the weight of it’s contents was suddenly betrayed. Even while gently placing it atop of Seteth’s desk with care, the sturdy mahogany beneath suddenly groaned dangerously at the content’s weight. The request forum she had just finished filling out earlier that morning became audibly crushed and crinkled beneath the now stagnate sack of overstretched burlap.

“I brought my own gold,” She tapped on the satchel’s top knot. Sothis, finally returning from her choking fit, paled considerably as she watched Seteth do the same. With tangible hesitation, the older gentleman opened the bag slightly enough to confirm that it was, indeed, filled to the brim with hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces of gold.

Both of their facial journeys were intriguing to witness. Byleth had not known the Goddess of looking so distraught. But it was Seteth who recovered first, “How- I- This is more money than the Monastery even supplies to each house monthly. How on earth did you accumulate this sort of saving?” Byleth’s lip tilted down in confusion.

“That money is for the students.” She spoke mildly, but with certainty. For some reason she could not decipher, Seteth appeared even more lost by her response. So she elaborated simply, “The gold for their equipment is their’s. This is what I earned doing bulletin missions. I don’t mind.” Sothis was suddenly waving her hands erratically at her neck as she flew directly to Byleth’s side to punch at her shoulder.

Which, of course, slipped through her form like a passing breeze, “FOOL! Have you maddened your senses?! That money must have accosted you a lifetime of work!” While she did not know why the Goddess was so displeased with her spending, Byleth elected to ignore her. 

Seteth seemed caught once more between looking appalled and somewhat impressed. But the hard line of his jaw appeared to be working in clear distress. 

“While I would be remised to not commend your personal generosity, Professor, I’m afraid I still do not understand,” Seteth moved to review the order form for the third time in the last few minutes. “This amount of custom material being expedited as it is, comes near a small fortune. Should you not be more concerned with facilitating your own necessities before such...outlandishly trivial nonsense?”

The longer he spoke, the more uncharacteristic the notes of concern lacing his voice became. Seteth’s pitch rose along with a similar lit of worry that Byleth recalled he often used when trying to explain his protective reasonings to Flayn. 

It was when he went into one of his ‘Dad Modes’, as Sothis so charmingly called them. Byleth’s expression, however, remained impassively still. Unwavering.

“My father and I have already been fed and housed.” She offered with a reaffirming nod of her head. Then, with a simple gesture, she pat the sack as she often would her students’ heads, “I don’t really need this. It’s replaceable. But I think they’ve earned a surprise.” She met his eyes once more, “Wouldn’t it be nice? I’d like to see them enjoy themselves.” She concluded with an inquisitive monotone.

Seteth was quiet for long while. Searching her face for even the slightest ounce of pressured dishonesty or forced nonchalance. 

But after another moment, the lines near his temples softened, and Seteth spared her a small mystified smile, “I don’t believe I have ever met someone quite like you, Ms. Eisner” His tone sounded almost fond, distant. 

Without wasting another moment, Seteth calmly reached to grab a large stamp with Garreg Mach’s Emblem of Serios engraved within, near his left side. With a hum of acknowledgment, he sealed an approval notice directly across the top of the order form; encasing the corner tab with translucent shimmering silver ink.

“Are you sure about this?” He asked her, genuinely curious. Byleth shrugged in turn.

“Probably. Thank you for your consideration.” And with that, the professor bowed her head before turning on her heel and walking right back out of the room without another word.

The moment she did Sothis launched into a rampant lecture of her “completely irresponsible spending”. To which Byleth merely smiled back in response.

“What in the heavens do you hope to accomplish with this expensive stunt of your’s?” It was not uncommon to hear and feel the underlying concern dripping straight through Sothis’s reprimands was amusing in their shared unique way. It was pleasant to know how deeply she cared.

Byleth remained assured that the Goddess would see how seriously she had taken her advice to heart come next week though. Everyone would. 

With a rare smile, Byleth met Sothis’s gaze fully, concealed behind the unoccupied staircase they had begun to descend. “I want to see them smile” Sothis fell silent just as Seteth had. But ultimately allowed her worry to fade in favor of an exasperated, endearing, smile she could not resist if she had tried.

They continued their walk towards the fishing dock in companionable silence. Sothis more or less appeased in feeling the bubbling energy of anticipation coursing through Byleth’s being like a child’s war drum. 

She supposed, if she squinted hard enough, she could see the other’s logic; regardless of how spontaneous and personally irresponsible it appeared to be. 

After all, there would be no good in having a grand ball without at least a few dance lessons beforehand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you KNOW you KNOW UwU 
> 
> Seriously though, I finally have the time to start updating this story more actively and im so excited for you all to see what Byleth’s planning:D 
> 
> Please let me know what yall think! I love hearing back from fellow beagle babes<3


	4. Something To Believe In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Part 2~

When Edelgard arrived to find everyone aside from the professor present for their midday lecture, her first instinct was to look up.

Thankfully the overheard support beams were free of any dangling occupants, and for that Edelgard was relived. As was Hubert, if the heavy breath she heard him release beside her was any indication.

A familiar tease of laughter however, caught the duo’s attention almost immediately after, “Not enjoying the view as much this time, I assume?” Dorothea smiled like a languid cat at their pinched expressions. Edelgard could feel a small tickle of heat creeping along the back of her neck, but settled for a scowl rather then retort.

The songstress though was far from deterred, “So serious, Edie! I’m just poking fun,” Before she could so much as blink, Dorothea moved to slide herself beside Edelgard the moment she set her supplies down. Much to Hubert’s irritation. Unfortunately one strategically tossed pout his way was all it took for him to relinquish the spot with a huff of annoyance. Soft hearted Dastard. 

Dorothea blew him a kiss as he made his way begrudgingly over to Ferdinand’s seat behind them. Then she promptly rounded on Edelgard, straddling the bench they shared, “If it makes you feel any better, Petra’s been triple checking every high rise we’ve passed under since last week too.” 

At the mention of her name, Petra turned to face them all, “It is truthful! I am having assurances that the professor is likely planning another test of great strength for us” As if on instinct, Edelgard watched Petra’s eyes dart towards the ceiling, before settling herself back with a grin of confidence.

She couldn’t remember the exact date, but recently the huntress had begun seating herself much closer to where Dorothea typically sat. Which was certainly an interesting and distracting enough development. Especially given how Dorothea practically melted beside her at the other’s attention. 

A romantic through and through, and lovestruck to the core. Edelgard loathed to admit she might understand the feeling somewhat. The yearning that ached within her for a similar sort of devotion. 

But there was no time. At least, not for now.

Returning the favor could wait however. Being able to fluster Dorothea back was a rare occurrence, so Edelgard decided to catalog that particular bout of information for a rainy day. One where the diva _really_ wanted to test her ire.__

_ _The devil may work hard, but a Hrsvelg worked harder._ _

_ _With the two exchanging doe eyed glances at one another, Edelgard chanced one of her own, and turned her head towards the entryway. It was still early enough that she could reason giving her teacher the benefit of the doubt, but after last week’s...confusing fiasco, she was no longer certain as to whether or not that was necessarily a good thing. _ _

_ _As heir apparent, there were a great deal of expectations for her to remain grounded, steady. Unwavering against the unpredictable. However, there were moments where she felt as though her blood held a sixth sense of sorts. As though anticipating a future that had not come to pass. Similar to how she’d felt last week. _ _

_ _Much like a chill of forewarning, it often made her wary. Though, Edelgard knew she would be remised if she denied the fact that Byleth’s “Rafter tomfoolery”, as Hubert called it, had left her feeling a great deal tenser than usual._ _

_ _And that spoke volumes all things considered._ _

_ _Her teacher was, by no short merit, someone she would ever willingly wish to cross in a life or death battle, but despite all of her raw power, Byleth was otherwise one of the most harmless individuals Edelgard had ever met. Simple even, in the most charming way possible._ _

_ _This making everything she might be capable of all the more terrifying to fathom._ _

_ _Thankfully, the spiral of possibilities could not gain much traction in her mind, as more and more of the Black Eagles began to arrive and take their seats. There was a familiar amount of tangible apprehension in the air, and she’d caught more than a handful of them gaze upwards as they entered as well. _ _

_ _As though expecting the professor to descend upon them in a, ironically fitting, bird of prey fashion. _ _

_ _But the assault never came. At least, not from above._ _

_ _For precisely one moment, and one moment only, Edelgard had felt every frayed nerve in her body droop in relief at the sound of approaching heels. Manuela’s trademark movement across the Monastery’s stonework resounded with haste, in what she had assumed was due to some early day hangover or another. _ _

_ _It would not have been the first time the physician came bearing unfortunate news about the professor having caught ill last minute. While rare, Edelgard had assumed her teacher was already recovering in her room or the medical wing. Meaning that she was not planning some incredibly dangerous “training” scenario and that Hubert and her could check in on her condition as soon as class concluded with whoever they had found to cover._ _

_ _The hypothetical reassurance that she had been worried for nothing suddenly made it much easier to breathe. But,  
as the goddess seemed oh so privy to enjoy doing, that breath was torn directly from Edelgard’s lungs with the force of a sledgehammer, all while every expectation she had considered crumpled right before her feet._ _

_ _The absolute, _absolute_, last possible thing Edelgard could have ever imagined flew from the heavens themselves and whirled past her in a flurry of movement.___ _

_ _ _ _Beautiful, stunning, enrapturing movement._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The body that entered in a stride of rushing heels was not Manuela at all, but rather the professor herself. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Over one shoulder rested a massive wooden crate that her body nearly dwarfed in comparison. In the other, her equally as preposterously large tankard. The scorched aroma of one of her more caffeinated blends mingled through out the air as she dashed past them all with her usual unflinching demeanor set in place. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Her voice though, held an undeniable lit of simmering excitement, “Good morning. I apologize for the delay. My order came earlier than anticipated.” Byleth set the crate down gently onto the floor beside her desk, before turning to face her students. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Edelgard’s tongue nearly plummeted down the length of her throat. She heard, rather than saw, every other student present audibly choke alongside her._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Disbelieving the reality in front of them._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Upon studying their expressions for a brief bout of silence, the professor tilted her head thoughtfully. Curious at their bewildered confusion. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Edelgard did not dare move a muscle. Fearful that whatever dream this was might end prematurely._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _From beside her, Dorothea’s released a strained whisper, “The goddess is real...”_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Byleth glanced behind her briefly before turning back to face her students, a bit more visibly perplexed. Or as much so as one can with a singular barely-there furrow of her brow, “Are you all alright?”_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Hubert, Goddess bless him, broke the silence. What was unfolding before them felt as close to a lucid experience as Edelgard could reason. For all she knew, this may very well be death, but if this is how she went, she was glad Hubert was there to accompany her in her final moments. “Professor, pray tell, what exactly do you think it is you are wearing right now?”_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Her teacher blinked, “Oh. New clothes, I suppose. Surprise.” The nuance flew over her head like an eagle in flight. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Hubert took a deep breath in. Then exhaled slowly. Calmly. He tried again, “Professor, no. What I am inquiring, is why exactly are you wearing that specific form of attire, in class, at this present moment?” He sounded as though the shock had finally worn off enough so for exasperation to bleed back through his words. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _He was stronger then any knight of Serios could ever dream to be._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Byleth paused, realization appearing to dawn over her features placidly. Barely recognizable behind her sedated expression. She spared a quiet hum of understanding, before shrugging her shoulders simply, “We will be dancing today.” Satisfied with her response, the professor turned back around to begin pushing her desk back against the far wall._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Wholeheartedly ignoring that she had merely raised more questions than she had answered._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _As the professor continued to move, the dark cloth flowing across her figure rippled like disturbed water under a starless night sky. Every twist of her body caused the wine colored scarves along the center point of her forearms and hips to pull and flow against her form like waves striking against a coastline of taught muscle._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The obsidian accents reflected each stray path of sunlight shining through the crimson strained glass behind her bathed each ridge of her body in dancing flames. The slits against her thigh cascaded broadly, taunting anyone’s gaze to stare too long. Daring them to seek where the abyss began and tanned skin ended._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _And Edelgard sought the answer as though she had never known another in her entire lifetime. Appreciatively, but utterly mesmerized all the same._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Even the usual mess of soft dark untouched hair had been altered in order to accommodate the silver laced choker adorning her neck. No longer were the loose threads free to fall where pleased, instead it had all been fixed back high in a tightly wound ponytail. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The style left her shoulders exposed magnificently, and revealed a constellation of scars that laid scattered across every visible inch of Byleth’s body. Some looked as though they had been left to heal without the aid of magic, others were jagged, seemingly sutured several times over. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Edelgard had not even realized she’d unconsciously begun to ring her gloved hands together at the sight of them. But they were so lovely, she found they drew her eye more so than anything else. How rigid and unevenly they crossed one another. How different they were than her own._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The very notion that there could possibly be much anything left to image was laughable. She knew she should say something, anything, to stop herself from staring any longer, but as Petra had predicted, this was a great test of strength indeed. It felt as if Edelgard was separated from herself, from the world. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _There was only Byleth and her. And the terrifying reality of acknowledging as much, was that she found she did not mind the notion at all. If anything, it made her heart feel steady even amidst its tremendous rampage against her chest. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The haze was abruptly broken however, by the feeling of something landing in her lap. The shock caused both her and Dorothea to jolt, neither having realized that the diva’s hat had slid right off of her head. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The interlude was all Edelgard needed to corral her wayward thoughts. If Dorothea had nearly passed out, Edelgard did not even want to consider how she must look. Nor how unbecoming it would be for not one, but two students of the Empire to lose themselves against the eighth wonder of the world. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _Ferdinand would never let her live it down._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _After summoning the absolute will of entire being, Edelgard pointedly cleared her throat, loudly._ _ _ _

_ _ _ _The noise snapped the rest of the Black Eagles from their similar states of haphazard gawking. From what she could gather from the back of Caspar and Petra’s respective neck and ears, both were sporting quite impressive shades red, rivaling her own cloak in hue. _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _At the very minimum, Edelgard found comfort in knowing she was not alone in her wandering gaze. After all, none of them suffered from any disadvantaged sight. They possessed functioning eyes, but there _was_ a certain standard of respectful decorum they should at least try to maintain. No matter how difficult.___ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Suddenly, her teacher rounded back to them with a quiet clap of her hands. Seemingly pleased with ample amount of space she had created by pushing the rest of the available furniture closer to the back wall. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Then with a nod, the professor placed her hand on the edge of her slightly cocked hip, and offered the other outward in invitation, “Done. Shall we begin?” There was a heavy beat of silence. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Byleth allowed the silence to stretch for another moment before lowering her hand. Once more, she tilted her head in concern, “I understand that the event only requires one representative, but this is a good opportunity to test your versatility. Allow me to demonstrate.” _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _With a one-two wave of her hands, Byleth spun, one hand raised over her head. In the next moment, she stoped moving to bow shallowly, “See? Fun and easy. Dancing is a long practiced branch of supporting allies. Also look-“ As she reached down towards the crate she had brought in, Edelgard swore she heard Petra, Caspar, and Bernadetta squeak in unison, “We can all match.”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Edelgard had been biting her tongue hard enough to nearly draw blood, but at the sight of what Byleth was beginning to display in her arms, she felt her her mouth suddenly run dry._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Her teacher was holding silken apparel identical to her own, but in shades and patterns that ranged between brilliant sunset oranges, and solid earthy tones. There were multiple sets from the looks of it, and as she mentally counted each individual piece, Edelgard’s initial sense of stifling concern returned full force. Along with sudden understanding._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _She spoke slowly, fearful to speak the truth into existence, “My teacher, please do not tell me you expended this month’s resource pool on apparel for us...”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Byleth’s eyebrows drew together as though Edelgard had asked her to never fish another day in her life. “Of course not. I bought these with my own coin. Surprise, again” Then with a shake of her arms, the professor jostled the cloth in her arms to try and encourage them to come and claim their new pristine attire._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Chaos erupted at once. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Professor have you gone mad?!”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Do you have any idea how expensive these materials ar-“_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Serios, you’re kidding? Right? Teach, please tell me you’re-“_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“How did you eve-“_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Professor, NO”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _The sound of multiple voices raising over one another shattered the momentary stillness that had been pressing against them all like a tsunami. Ferdinand had risen to his feet so aburptly that Bernadetta had all but toppled over herself to try and dive head first beneath the closest available desk space. Linhardt’d snapped back into consciousness at the sight of Caspar grabbing fistfuls of his hair in disbelief, both of their eyes mimicking saucer platters as they argued over who needed to calm down more so. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Dorothea looked as though she were going to pass out once more. Petra was so distracted between the rising action across from them, and the songstress’s distress, that she looked near dizzy in trying to decide where she was most needed. Her confusion only amounting by the second._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _And while Edelgard would much prefer her reaction be lost to time’s flow, even she loathed to admit that had Hubert not readily blocked her physically, she might have tripped over her own two feet in her haste to round on her teacher. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Much like she had last week, with the sort of worrisome fury only Byleth had the power to draw from her heart. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _The line drawn between kindness and recklessness had always appeared nonexistent in Byleth’s minor deeds, but this was more than just ludicrous. It was inanely unacceptable._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“My teacher, I will not stand for this. Do you have any conceptual idea of what this sort of spending could mean for your very livelihood?” Edelgard felt white heat whipping across her skin for reasons she could not be bothered to articulate. “Of all the- I am reimbursing you this instant. What was the charged total to this-this-“_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“Gift” Byleth interjected, not unkindly._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Edelgard ground the back of her teeth together. If possible to sob without crying, she reasoned that was what must have caused the tremor in her retort, “This far exceeds any sort of reasonable parameter for a gift, professor!”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _“But you all deserve a nice gift. And look,” Byleth pulled a deep red and cream colored outfit from the bundle in her still outstretched arms, “I...I got you your favorite colors.”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Edelgard’s defense weakened ever so slightly at the innocent reasoning of Byleth’s response. It was uncharacteristically hesitant, as though wondering if she had been mistaken in her choice. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Out of habit, Edelgard sought Hubert’s eyes and found his were already on her. Searching her face for any sign of remaining refusal. She swallowed harshly. Everyone else now seemed equally at a loss for how to properly respond to the sincerity of their instructor’s sentiment. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Upon closer inspection, Edelgard found that she could easily guess which outfit belonged to who. And suddenly the air felt as though it were fleeing her lungs once more._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Byleth filled the silence, more assuredly. Trying to ease them, “Money comes back. You all have been kind and worked hard. And I am proud” This time she moved to Petra, who was closest, and offered the soft pink attire to her. “So please?”_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Petra’s eye turned to catch Edelgard’s for a moment. As though attempting to gauge if they truly should accept such an extravagant gift. The time and consideration that Byleth must have placed in such a large personalized order was not lost on even a single one of them, yet the manner in how she had gone about explaining herself felt beyond words. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _It was perhaps one of the sweetest expressions of gratitude Edelgard had ever seen. Something for them all, so that even if they were to lose the White Heron Cup they would all still have the choice to peruse dancing by their own volition outside of the monastery’s prize pool. A gift. For their patience and friendship. It was overwhelming, genuine, and so very Byleth Eisner to the fault none could actually believe._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _With a quick nod of her head, Edelgard watched a light flourish across Petra’s face as though bursting with newfound glee. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Her smile turned blinding as she carefully took the fabric from Byleth’s hands, before grasping and interlocking their fingers, “Your gift has given me the most wondrous of feelings in my chest, professor! I can not be giving enough of my thanks. But know I shall cherish this for the eternities of this life and my next” _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _The small quirk of Byleth’s lips at Petra’s words was all it took for the floodgates to begin for Dorothea. Who unceremoniously rushed to hug the professor from behind. Her tear filled laugh was just as musical, but made Edelgard’s heart ache even more so fondly, “Professor! Goddess, we love you so much!” _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Byleth allowed Dorothea to continue clinging to her, and gently placed the assorted outfits down onto Petra’s desk in order to return the other’s embrace. Albeit uncertainly, and stiffly, but the sincerity of the moment made Bernadetta ‘awwww’ out loud from where she had been peaking over her desk-shelter._ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Soon enough everyone else began making their way over as well. Caspar offering a hug of his own, while Hubert, with faux begrudging, spared a docile handshake and rare smirk of gratitude. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Edelgard watched them all until only she remained. She had needed the time to accumulate her courage, which was now readily steeled within the core of her steps. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _She marched forward to meet her teacher, face to face, but just as she were about to offer her hand as Hubert had though, Byleth surprised her by opening her arms in invitation for her. Not approaching as she had the others, simply offering her the choice. _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _A knowing look passing between them. An unspoken question. _Are you comfortable with this?____ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _The longer Edelgard allowed her gaze to remain fixated on the endless deep navy of her teacher’s eyes, the more certain she was that time had frozen around them. There was no assumption, accusation, or demand for her to cross a boundary she was not ready for. They merely stood there, staring at one another, content, at peace. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Safe._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _With more hesitant steps, Edelgard allowed herself to move into Byleth’s space. She kept a close eye on the professor’s arms, as they carefully moved to encircle her, as if cradling something priceless. The strength in her form sung of quiet respect for something they both knew could never truly be broken. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Yet every single moment of it felt more gentle than the last._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I thank you, my teacher”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Thank you too, Edelgard” Byleth whispered beside her, so that only she could hear._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Edelgard allowed her arms to wrap back against Byleth’s briefly before she pulled back enough for lavender to touch ethereal ocean aves once more, “Whatever for?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Byleth raised the corner of her lips slightly, “For trusting me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _As the two separated, Sothis watched as the rest of Byleth’s students began to approach her once more. Already comfortable enough to fall back into their usual banter and excitable inquiries. Asking this and that about how she had gone about procuring this or that. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _The Goddess kept an eye on the Hrsvelg girl as she removed herself just enough to escape the centerfold of the crowding group of students, but not far enough to let Byleth out of her sight. It was endearing. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _What had begun as a whimsical mention of how grandiose Sothis had once found the art of dancing until each new dawn, had lead to something far more greater than she could have ever believed possible for one of Byleth’s silly misunderstandings. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _And despite her former concerns for the dunce’s radical spending, Sothis found herself quite pleased with the energy she could feel radiating off of Byleth like the mid day sun._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _A happy fool was still a fool, but a blessing that Sothis would never deny warmed her soul like nothing else she had ever known._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We support making the Black Eagles smile in this house!
> 
> But more so, we support falling in love with wholesome growth!!
> 
> Wanted a little bit of a fluffier take on Byleth’s “tomfoolery“, she means well! And sometimes THATS ENOUGH!!! 
> 
> Cooking shenanigans to come, but lemme know what yall think!


	5. Times Are Changing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The lands had been plentiful in their riches, with winding planes of the most magnificent of harvests yielding beneath the never fading sun. We would gather under its warmth and scorch the gifts of the earth, bringing forward flavors the heavens could only describe as unimaginable"

From time to time, Jeralt would reminisce about Byleth’s mother with her. Never for particularly long or in great detail, but when he did, he seemed happier, youthful even.

He would go on about her kindness, her laughter, how she loved the flowers he would bring back to her after long travels. But more often than not, he would tell Byleth of her food. How wonderful a cook she had been, and how he saw a lot of her in Byleth’s eyes. 

And Byleth, despite never knowing the woman herself, had come to appreciate the comparison. She figured she’d must have inherited a lot from her mother given the comfort she felt by the blooming garden beds and passing sounds of her students’ joy. It was pleasant, feeling connected to someone who had been so talented and beloved.

So when the dining hall staff had asked her if she was absolutely certain that she could prepare enough food to accommodate the entire Monastery with their midday provisions, all on her own, Byleth had assured them that she would be fine. 

However, now, as she watched the pan before her erupt into flames, she concluded that, perhaps, she may have misunderstood exactly what type of skills she had inherited from Jeralt’s late wife.

Sothis had been watching her lazily for most of the morning as she’d gone about dicing and sautéing this or that, but at the sight of the blazing fire beginning to spread rapidly across the stovetop, she became quite more attentive.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE AND STARE!” She shrieked, “PUT IT OUT!” Byleth nodded in agreement. That would probably be the best next course of action. 

With a gesture of her palm, Byleth summoned a small blizzard to extinguish the flames, watching impassively as the magic cooled the scorched metal in a flurry of ice. Once satisfied, she begun waving her sleeves about to blow the smoke out of her and the Goddess’s faces.

She hummed, taking in the sight, “It looks…much shinier now” She pondered while bringing a hand to her chin in contemplation.

“That’s because you _froze_ it, you fool”__

_ __ _

_ __ _

“Ah, so I have,” Byleth nodded once, decisive, “Good enough” And with that, she moved to place the ice encased cut of poultry onto the counter space behind them. When she turned back, Sothis’s was gaping at her openly. 

“You cannot mean to tell me you believe that to still be edible!” Byleth shrugged her shoulders, “I’ve had worse. It’s bad to waste food.” She turned away from Sothis in order to get a better look at the thawing burner plates. 

As she considered whether or not to cast a mild fire spell to speed things along, Sothis silently threw her hands about wildly behind her. Mimicking choking and shaking Byleth by the neck in order to knock a drop of sense into her mortal mind. Her verdant braids flying haphazardly around her as she soundlessly struck her head against the nearest wall several dozen times.

Before Byleth could fetch any more ingredients to disintegrate however, the Goddess flew directly in front of her and placed both of her hands onto her hips. Demanding her attention.

“No no, I can no longer bare to watch this travesty continue any longer. Come with me right now” The air of finality in her voice gave no room for argument. Byleth allowed herself to be shooed out of the kitchen, past the fishing docks, and lead towards the greenhouses below. 

Thankfully, the usual groundskeeper appeared to be preoccupied tending to some weeds just beyond the entry way, meaning Byleth could continue speaking aloud. “What are we doing here?” 

Sothis rolled her eyes at the question and continued to usher Byleth around the farthest most secluded end of the gardening spaces. The soil was more or less untouched, save for a few sprouting carnations that Byleth had planted earlier in the week. 

“Replace you questions with thanks for later,” She shook her head in chastisement. “Come. Place your hands beneath the soil and focus your energy. I want you to concentrate your magic into the very ends of your palms.” Rather than argue and waste any more time, Byleth followed Sothis’s command and closed her eyes. Trusting in her friend to guide her actions.

“Now remain still, this may feel a bit strange…”

For a moment, it felt as though nothing had changed. The dirt covering her hands remained pleasantly warmed by the heavy glass shinning sunlight upon them overhead, and the world around them continued to move on. Then almost instantaneously, Byleth felt a surge of power trickling through her like a stream. 

It was not terribly different in comparison to how her Divine Pulses felt, but the magic was lighter, spreading outwards from her unmoving heart and coursing across her forearms like spinning leaves of a vine.

After another few beats of silence, Sothis spoke once more, “Time’s flow may not interfere with Fate, but there are leniencies, if you know where to look,” When Byleth did not respond, Sothis’s huffed haughtily, “Well go on, open your eyes!” 

Upon receiving permission, Byleth did just that. Before them stood bushels, upon bushels of vibrant colored vegetables ranging between shades of purple and red she had never seen in all of her travels. They were ripe and dense, causing the branches they rested upon to bend slightly at their weight, each glossier than any fruit or polished metal known to man.

“Just this once, consider this an act of mercy for your disastrous culinary habits. Do not expect me to cover your mistakes so willingly in the future.” Sothis took in her wonder filled expression with a proud triumphant hum, “The concentration needed to manipulate growth such as this takes a great deal of energy. Never mind accounting for what was required in order to yield enough to feed all of these growing soldiers.” She explained.

Her tone sought gratitude, and Byleth gave it without hesitation, “Thank you, Sothis. They’re lovely” The Goddess turned to face her other half with a satisfied wave of nonchalance, only to falter at her next inquiry, “What exactly are these?”

Affronted, Sothis balked before floating beside her, drawing out another exasperated breath, “Honestly, must I explain everything? These peppers used to grow by the bounty back in my youth. I should think it impossible to imagine there exists another form of nourishment on this plane that could compare to their nutritional properties. During the solstices, they would grow to sizes that would place even your gracious assets to shame”

Byleth tilted her head, “My gracious what?” But Sothis continued, ignoring the interruption.

“They contain every benefit a growing child could possibly need. Why, I use to feed them to my own children by the cauldron full! They are rich in heartiness and flavored with the heat of the gods, all that is required is for them to be cut and simmered.” Then with a wary expression, the Goddess pointed her finger right at the tip of Byleth’s nose, “Even you could not botch something as simple as this.”

At the mention of ‘heat’, Byleth perked up slightly. She liked spicy food, and if all she needed to do was simmer the strange peppers in a pot, this haul they had grown would undoubtedly provide more than enough soup for everyone else.

Without further delay, the professor removed her hands from the soil and rushed off to fetch the largest basket she could find. She quickly harvested the peppers by the handful, and after a few trips back and forth, she had finished restocking the kitchen with her new menu item of choice.

There was more than enough time to at least start a few batches before the sun reached its peak, but both reasoned that she’d have to continue simmering the rest in order to accommodate any late arrivals. 

Once properly set, Byleth began cutting the mysterious ancient peppers one by one. Their scent was mouthwatering, and the insides contained a thick liquid with plenty of long stemmed seeds that Sothis insisted were “the best part”. Every usable bit went directly into the pot and onto the low heat, while the two watched with fascination as the contents swirled and mingled into a stunning array of shimmering colors.

By noon, the heavenly scent was wafting out the open archways and several thickened batches of finished stew were readied by the serving line. Awaiting to be taken by the ladle full.

The Golden Deer, with Raphael and Leonie playfully leading the charge as they jostled one another, arrived first. The two rushed for their meals before tossing their thanks, along with a whirlwind of compliments about ‘how great it smelled’, back Byleth’s way. Their leader, Claude appeared not long after.

“Wow Teach, quite the set up you’ve got going,” He took a whiff from the bowl he had gathered with a grin, clearly impressed, “Wow, who would’a thought you had a knack for cooking too. Anything you can’t do?” He inquired with a subtle glint in his eye.

Before the professor could respond though, Hilda bumped him out of the way with her hip, “Suck up for seconds after you leave the line, I’m starving!” 

Byleth waved them both off before turning her attention back towards the peppers she was still dicing. Sothis however, floated closer to the excitable group of fawns the moment they all seated themselves. Interested in how they would find her past favorite dish.

In retrospect, it had not occurred to the Goddess that there might very well be some reason as to why these particular species of peppers had fallen off the beaten trail of commonality in most dishes. And by that, Sothis meant that she may have, unintentionally, forgotten exactly what made the difference between beings of the sky and mortals.

Or at least, in regards to their palates.

The large boy, Raphael if she recalled correctly, and the girl who adored Byleth’s father, had wolfed down most of their food the moment the rest of their housemates had seated themselves. However, after less than a second of swallowing, both froze as though they had been struck. 

Claude had halted as well, his first bite just inches from his mouth, as he watched in confusion as the two simultaneously clapped their hands over their mouths. The orange haired girl made an unspeakable sound from deep within her throat before launching herself out of her seat and rushing out of the dining hall. Raphael was not much better off, as he stood and bolted in the other direction, the sound of his heavy foot fall clattering like a war drum behind him.

Ignatz, the purple one, and Lysithea had not been fortunate enough to stop themselves before the first two had reacted. All three ranged between equal amounts of paling features and shaky hands after just the first sip. Sothis watched in mild horror as each one of them excused themselves the moment they could breathe.

The Hilda girl that Byleth found amusing had been conversing with the shy healer Sothis often saw speaking to the wildlife nearby, but at the sight of their companions fleeing for their very lives, both had turned to Claude in clear alarm. The house lead slowly put his spoon back down, but appeared curious.

His eyes found Hilda’s and the two appeared to have a silent conversation with one another. One raised brow and nod of their heads later was all it took before both of their left hands suddenly shot to the top of their heads. Claude’s barely succeeded in rising first. 

Hilda slammed her hand against her forehead at his mournful salute to her.

“FUCK” She swore while staring down the steaming broth before her with dread. Sothis supposed she must have lost whatever telepathic wager they had just made.

Steeling herself, Hilda turned to look back to the blue haired girl beside her. Her rose colored eyes reminiscent of a soldier preparing herself for the last battle of her life, “Mari, remember me…”

“W-wait what are y-you-“ Before she could finish, Hilda jerked the tiniest spoonful of stew she possibly could into her mouth. And then promptly burst into tears. 

The Claude boy at least had the decency to look a tad guilty for his friend’s suffering, but Sothis figured part of that could additionally be due to how panicked ‘Mari’ had become at the sight of Hilda bawling while fanning air at her tongue. As if the action might spare her taste buds from the atrocious flavor. 

In the end, it seemed she needed both of her allies’ shoulders for support in order to get to her feet. The duo had rushed as carefully as possible to escort her outside, but the Goddess could still hear her whimpering long after they’d left her sight.

Sothis was dumbstruck. She could not recall even a singular time in her life where her children had reacted so violently to her cooking, and she had been monitoring Byleth with an eagle’s eye; ensuring she changed nothing about the recipe. Before she could consider what other possible issues there could be, the Blue Lions arrived.

The head of their little entourage was of course Dimitri, who brightened at the sight of Byleth behind the mess counter. The Sylvain lad nudged him a bit with his elbow and looked to be saying something crass, only to immediately receive a swift smack to his thigh from Ingrid’s wooden bowl. Sothis winced at the harsh sound, but remembered that she had heard enough of the redhead’s vulgar passing comments to assume that the strike had been reasonably warranted.

Byleth though had turned at the sound, and waved at the lot of them all kindly, none the wiser. Dedue and the silver haired archer had approached excitedly, each asking what she had prepared, but the professor merely shook her head. Telling them it was a surprise.

Mercedes, who Sothis fancied greatly, giggled lightly at Byleth’s response, “Oh my! A surprise from you, professor? How lovely!” She clapped her hands together with a smile that outshined the sun.

Dimitri also smiled at the sentiment, offering a formal bow as he accepted the offered stew, “I couldn’t agree more, Mercedes. You have all of our utmost gratitude for the effort you have placed into today’s meal, professor.” 

“Save your chivalry, boar. She’s on kitchen duty. This is called doing her job, for once.” Sothis decided then and there that the dark haired one could perish. 

And the Ingrid girl seemed to agree as she scowled severely enough to look close to snarling. “Either shut up or starve, Felix. Don’t act like an insufferable twink just because she’s a better swordsman than you.” 

Sothis also decided, right then and there, that when she regained the ability to do so, she would bless Ingrid for several lifetimes to come. As soon as she was done snickering.

The smaller mage, Annie, if Sothis recalled correctly, spoke quickly before the ‘Felix’ one could retort.

“She’s right, Felix, don’t be mean! The professor probably worked really hard to make your food too!” The smaller girl’s plea appeared to be enough for Felix to stalk off with a careless, ‘whatever’. 

Dimitri was quick to offer Byleth a ramble of an apology, along with most of the other Blue Lions. Save for Sylvain, who had rushed after Felix in order to convince, persuade, force, him to sit with them all. Apparently even the rudest souls needed the patience of friends in order to thrive.

Patience, and a touch of divine intervention.

At least that is what the Goddess used in order to excuse the next several seconds of havoc. She sat back in the air expectantly, watching as the bullheaded boy sat himself down with a huff and began to swallow down Byleth’s dish before his classmates joined him. Immediately, his eyes widened quite comically, but before he could properly gag, everyone else began to dig in as well.

The alarming sound of wood snapping drew Sothis’s attention first. Dimitri’s clenched fist had all but decimated the edge of the dining table, and there was a visible sheen of sweat spontaneously beginning to form across every available inch of the poor boy’s skin. 

His retainer, to his credit did not flinch, but placed his spoon down tensely after swallowing. He then cleared his throat before standing, pushing the remainder of his meal as far away as possible. As he did though, the archer he had been speaking candidly with reached for his sleeve. His smaller form was hunched over in pain, and the freckles on his face were contrasted starkly against a very unusual shade of red. 

The Annie girl beside him was in a similar position, but she had a vice like grip on Mercedes’s shawl. The other’s typical pleasant smile had fallen drastically, and she appeared to be summoning some form of white magic in her quivering hands. But before she could cast anything, Ingrid had clapped onto her other shoulder. A completely unconscious Sylvain lying like a dead man across her back.

“U-use r-restore…please cast resto-” A dangerously unsettling hiccup burst from the blonde’s throat, cutting her off.

Without further delay, Ingrid rushed herself outside. The faint sound of her hurling was enough for Felix, Annie, and Dimitri to follow her lead out into the open gardens as well. 

Dedue unceremoniously picked Sylvain’s limp body up before moving with haste to join his classmates, leaving Ashe and Mercedes to unsteadily follow, walking sloppily, as if intoxicated.

During her wide eyed observation, Sothis had failed to notice the arrival of marketplace vendors and off duty knights coming to fetch and load their carts with stew for those currently stationed beyond the dining grounds. 

What she did witness though, was Byleth’s fledglings beginning to approach. 

Sothis rushed back into the mess hall, curious. If she could believe in anyone to be strong enough to stomach her favored meal of choice, surely the Eagles could prove that these disastrous circumstance were not nearly as drastic as she was starting to suspect.

Edelgard had crossed the threshold as lead, but Ferdinand appeared soon after, hastily rushing past her in order to greet Byleth first. Preening at his small victory, and entirely missing how the heir and her vassal rolled their eyes at his antics.

“Professor! Could that heavenly scent be none other than the product of your own magnificent culinary excellence?” Byleth turned fully at Ferdinand’s call. She brightened minimally with a pleased quirk of her lips at his words, and offered the puppy-esque boy a proud nod of her head.

Wiping her hands against the apron around her waist, Byleth gestured for them all to help themselves. Seemingly excited to finally see how her dish was being received. 

Ferdinand began to say something along the lines of ‘marvelous’ before Caspar leapt past him, knocking the redhead aside directly into Hubert, “No time for monologues, Aeigr! Im damn near starved!” 

Hubert reflexively moved to stop Ferdinand from falling, but immediately withdrew his grasp from his hips at the sight of the other’s wide eyed expression. Both righted themselves instantly, Hubert coughing into his clenched fist, looking anywhere but at his fellow housemates. Ferdinand suddenly finding the ground beneath his boots incredibly fascinating.

Dorothea nudged Edelgard’s side with a waggle of her brow, to which she was met with an exasperated ‘shush’. 

Caspar gave a whoop of celebration, oblivious to the tension that had formed beside him, “This looks great! Thanks, professor!” He smiled broadly at Byleth with a thumbs up. His stew sloshing haphazardly in his grasp.

Before Sothis could offer Byleth any preemptive warning for what might come to pass, the knight-to-be shoveled a few hearty spoonsful of stew into his mouth breathlessly. Linhardt was not far behind with a tired, but fond, expression on his face.

“Honestly, couldn’t even wait until we were seated could you?” But as he spoke, he also took a curious sip of his own, enchanted by the smell.

Both paused in time with one another, before going crimson in the face. Caspar began to choke violently, pounding a fist against his chest, and startling Ferdinand enough for him to snap out of his flush and begin rubbing the other’s back in concern. 

Linhardt’s throat constricted and flexed visibly, as though struggling to process air into his lungs.

“I-I am going to be si-“ He halted as one of his hands suddenly shot forward to clutch onto the collar of his uniform. Without further explaination, the scholar made a beeline for the nearest exit. Running faster than any of the other Eagles had ever seen him move.

Byleth looked equally as confused as the rest of them. Petra had reached over to grab Caspar’s discarded bowl and gave the contents a thoughtful look as she stirred it back and forth.

“I believe I am having familiarity with these seeds, but I do not such rations should not be causing inedibility. In fact, this is having quite strong smells of home,” She turned to Byleth as she reached down for a different spoon. “Professor, by chance does this dish contain unfamiliar spices of some kind? I believe I have been seeing many vendors in the market exchanging a great sorts of exotic blends.” 

Byleth paused, but nodded her head a bit uncertainly before clarifying, “It is supposed to be spicy. Though I did not think it would be that hot…”

Petra brightened at her, “If that is being the case, I will be having great admiration for the heat you have imparted into this food! The tastes of new things is something I will always be having pleasure in experiencing.”

Both Byleth and Sothis watched as Petra swallowed a bite of the stew. And then they watched as she calmly handed the bowl over to Ferdinand who had moved directly beside her, “I have had misunderstanding. This is, I believe what would be considered, heinous.”

Ferdinand looked at Petra’s unflinching expression, and then back down at Caspar’s now shivering body crumpled on the ground. Edelgard met his eyes for a moment, her eyebrows raised in question as to whether or not he would. 

And of course, it was all the flame his competitive fire needed to ignite a one sided duel of endurance between them. 

“Surely this must be an acquired taste befitting a true noble’s unwavering palate. Worry not, professor, I shall happily indulge upon your hard worked over meal!” 

In the next moment Ferdinand laid on the floor, crumpled beside Caspar.

Bernadetta took in the sight of her fallen companions, all while sheepishly moving to set her empty bowl back onto the serving rack. “A-actually, I j-just remembered I have some provisions I hid back in my room from l-last month’s mission!” With quick backwards steps, Bernie ran as though she were being chased out by wild beasts, “SorryProfessorPleaseDon’tHateMeI’mSorryIDon’tWantMyTummyToHurtTooImSoSorrySeeYouTomorrowByeeee!”

Dorothea looked as though she were prepared to back out as well, but at the slight of a puppy-dog eyed frown beginning to touch the edges of Byleth’s expression, she put the most confident smile on she could muster.

“Well…I’m sure that the boys just aren’t used to commoner dishes like these, right Edie?” Her deflection sounded unnerved. However, before Edelgard could caution that she should perhaps not risk the chance, Dorothea took the tiniest of sips from Petra’s discarded spoon.

The white knuckled grip that followed looked concerning enough for both Petra and Edelgard to move towards her frozen form. They each rested a hand on her stiffened shoulder, but Dorothea had kept her smile perfectly in place. Setting the bowl down stiffly, Dorothea hummed “Mhmm! S-see, nothing to worry about, professor!” 

The songstress then proceeded to speed walk away as quickly as she physically could without another word.

Byleth watched as Petra, looking a little paler than usual, moved to help Caspar and Ferdinand to their feet. Each audibly groaning as if they had just concluded a particularly rigorous bout of training exercises. 

As they also departed, she turned back to find Hubert and Edelgard both staring at her quizzically. Their expressions wary, but otherwise unreadable. Hubert looked more intrigued than anything as he removed his glove from his right hand, while Edelgard did not allow her gaze to wander far from Byleth’s own. As if searching her face for signs of disheartened distress.

“My teacher, if you don’t mind my asking, what exactly are the contents of this…special dish of yours?” 

Byleth looked back over to the numerous other students and knights who were gleefully serving themselves nearby, and frowned once more, “Just simmered peppers. I didn’t think it would make people’s stomach’s upset…”

“I can hardly believe it possible that that is the only ingredient, professor” Hubert interjected. 

It appeared he had dipped the tip of his finger into Caspar’s discarded stew, and had experimentally taken the smallest possible cautionary taste of its contents, “While I do not often indulge in such theatrical displays, I must admit that I am impressed that the results of such a taste are not, in fact, immediate death.” 

He leveled Byleth with a bit of a distrusting once over. One she had not seen in some time now, “You would not by chance be attempting to poison Lady Edelgard with this…unsubtle batch of toxins you have prepared now would you, professor?” But Byleth merely tilted her head before shaking it slowly. Not understanding. 

The look Edelgard was using to stare down the side of Hubert’s profile screamed of silent reprimand. She appeared intent on coming to Byleth defense, but hesitated a moment more at the sight of Hubert’s jaw suddenly starting to twitch. His expression was becoming grave and lined with sweat.

Before either could ask if he was alright though, a knight none of them were familiar with stormed towards the counter, his eyes locked onto Byleth. With a lashing bark, he slammed one of his palms onto the surface between them, his eyes wild in outrage.

“Professor, are you sane in the head?!” Sothis and Byleth blinked in surprise at the sound of his hoarse shout. But he was already continuing before she could ask what he meant. “Whatever the fuck is in that sad excuse for a meal you prepared has every one of my men in the medical wing! Are you short a nerve between reading a god damn recipe and the fucking stove?! Of all the senseless, unthinkable-” 

Byleth’s face and shoulders had begun to drop the longer the unknown knight continued to scream across the counter space. But before Sothis could reset the last few seconds in order to give her counterpart a chance to escape this stranger’s verbal firing range, Edelgard stood to her full height and marched between the professor and her assailant.

Her glare was unlike anything the Goddess had ever seen, “That is enough.” 

Byleth couldn’t ever recall hearing Edelgard’s voice sound so cold before. She had only ever made Byleth feel warm fleeting emotions like pride or joy or respect. Now though, there was a layer of steel in her order that sent shivers down every inch of her spine.

“If your ungrateful words were not reprehensible enough, know that I will take no greater pleasure than in hearing you try to utter them ever again while your tongue is severed” The threat came out mercilessly, unflinching.

The knight appeared to falter under furious amethyst irises, but he did not dare to challenge precisely how serious the future Emperor of Adrestia was being. Instead he took a hesitant step back, placing space between them cautiously.

Edelgard met his retreat with a step forward of her own. “Perhaps you and your men could stand to stomach stronger advisories than a properly spiced broth,” Her next move exuded ripples of absolute authority. Edelgard reached without looking back to grab the bowl Hubert had had in his hands and finished the entirety of its content without so much as blinking an eye. 

“Waste your undeserving breath elsewhere. And. Get. Out.” When he did not move at her dismissal she clarified sharply, “_Now._”__

_ __ _

_ __ _

The knight before her saluted with a shaken, ‘of course your majesty’, before rushing out of sight. Once she was certain he was gone, Edelgard allowed her mask to fall ever so slightly as the flavor fully registered past her momentary rush of adrenaline. 

When she turned her eyes back towards the professor, she found Byleth was already prepared to find her gaze. She was holding out a cooled wet cloth for Edelgard to take, which she did uneasily. Despite her chest beginning to pound worryingly, she narrowed her eyes at the spark of amusement dancing across the other’s no longer downtrodden features. 

“Your disposition appears unchanged, but that silly little look in your eyes tells me you wish to comment, my teacher.” 

Byleth shook her head a bit, almost apologeticly, “I appreciate you wanting to protect me“ And then with one of those rare smiles she spared once in a blue moon, Byleth placed a cool hand to Edelgard’s rapidly flushing forehead, “But that’s supposed to be my job, remember?” She joked as she gestured for Edelgard to place the cloth on her neck. 

With a thoughtful look, Byleth surveyed the space behind her students, taking in all of the now hunched over forms scattered across the rest of the dining hall. She nodded once, “You won’t hurt my feeling if you need to go and vomit. I’ll fetch Manuela”

The next day when most, if not all active faculty and students found themselves excused from their usual duties due to ‘undisclosed reasons’, Sothis would comment that she was grateful that at least the Flayn girl and her brother Seteth had seemed to enjoy her famous stew. They, along with apparently Rhea herself, had been the only few who had been able to stomach the rest of Byleth’s meal, for some unfathomable reason or another.

But the Goddess supposed there were always going to be a rare few among the masses. Regardless however, Sothis would also begrudgingly swear to Byleth that she would never again meddle with the ingredients from time’s past.

And in the week that followed, Byleth found that she had at least succeeded in getting to hear one of her favorite sounds repeatedly, as Jeralt fell over himself again and again after returning from his mission and hearing her retell what had transpired. 

The “Plague” that struck Garreg Mach was an incident that would come to be recorded, and remembered, for many years to come. As would the official, archbishop signed decree that Byleth Eisner, and Byleth Eisner only, was hence forth and forevermore forbidden from being left unsupervised when scheduled for kitchen duty, ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So fun fact! This story is sort of based off an incident I had once when I was cooking~ 
> 
> You know when you smell something fantastic, and you get excited to eat it, but it's just egregiously not safe to consume? Well my former roommates do. I LOVE spicy flavors and had told them I was going to make us dinner one night, and while shopping I found a bunch of different peppers and just sort of blended them together seeds and all and put them into the main course. 
> 
> I was then banned from group dinner duty for a week as punishment, one of them had legitimately burst into tears after two bites TToTT
> 
> I figured ancient (EXTINCT) peppers would likely do the same, RIP Garreg Mach
> 
> Let me know what you guys think! I have a few additional projects in the works, so Ill be taking a small break until I know how this story is being received! Long Live the Black Eagles <3

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, when you are an eons old deity spiritually attached to the most oblivious human being in existence, sometimes you’ve gotta make your own fun~ 
> 
> Were going all in on this one, cheers to disturbing the peace! Garreg Mach will never be the same UwU
> 
> Let me know what you guys think! Most, if not all the cast will come in at some point or another, but for now lets startle the Fledglings ;3c


End file.
